Seashell Trust re-accredited for IFI at Provisional level
The Seashell Trust is celebrating having been re-accredited at Provisional level for EFDS's Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI). This renewal comes after benefitting from the status for the past ten years. Their popular fitness suite was first accredited by IFI at the end of 2005. (Gyms accredited then were given provisional status for 10 years.)
Seashell Trust is a national charity supporting children and young adults with complex learning disabilities and additional communication needs from across the UK. They provide education and care, from 2-25 years, at our outstanding residential school and college and through our short breaks services. Their sports development team offers a wide range of sport, health and leisure activities for the community our students and staff.
The on-site fitness suite is accessible to both disabled and non-disabled people. It is used by the students and community users.
Talking about their success, Heather Potter from Seashell, said:
"Our facility is promoted to various organisations in Greater Manchester and Cheshire such as The Stroke Association, St Anne’s Hospice, Disability Stockport and Stockport MS Society. Many local physios, rehab centres and doctors refer patients to us. We promote the facility on our website and sometimes through press releases in the local newspaper."
Our fitness suite is based at Seashell Trust in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. As well as providing first class inclusive sports and fitness facilities for our service users and staff we offer this externally too. People come from all over Greater Manchester to access our inclusive after school and holiday sports clubs, swimming lessons and fitness suite."
One user said:
"The gym has shown me that being disabled isn’t an excuse to stop exercising. The instructor at Seashell Trust has helped me to find exercises which are fun and keep me fit and healthy."
IFI is a programme which offers disabled people more choice and opportunities to enjoy the benefits of physical activity- EFDS is committed to supporting the fitness industry to achieve this.
The programme operates an accreditation scheme called the IFI Mark. It recognises the achievements and commitment of leisure facilities who enable disabled people to become physically active. The accreditation provides an inclusive platform for disabled and non-disabled people to be active together.
